The first responders were there in force, not because a tragic event had unfolded, but to enjoy an evening of fun — the 31st annual celebration of National Night Out.

The family event attracted hundreds of people from around the city to promote crime prevention, police-community partnerships, neighborhood camaraderie and to send a visible message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

Residents are encouraged to look after each other and report suspicious activity to police.

Rockford Police hosts the annual free event in partnership with the fire department, the Rockford Park District, Rockford Park District Police and Target. The event is alternated each year between the city’s east and west side.

Fourth Ward Ald. Kevin Frost, who requested to have the event hosted in his northeast side ward, said no one part of the city is free of crime.

“Crime happens everywhere,” he said. “It’s good for people to be vigilant and to call the non-emergency number.”

Dean and Wendy Rusk of Rockford brought their 9-year-old daughter, Ella, and 7-year-old son, Nolan, to the event to meet the police officers and firefighters in a non-intimidating way.

“It’s perfect for them to get up close to look at the vehicles and at what the police and fire do,” Dean Rusk said. “Everybody is very approachable.”

If part of the goal of the evening was to make people in uniform less intimidating, organizers succeeded.

“I like how you get to dunk a police officer. I came this close,” Nolan Rusk said holding his thumb and forefinger less than an inch apart.

Even the police department’s bomb robot, a high-tech multi-wheeled contraption capable of holding the most delicate of items while going up and down a flight of stairs, was approached by curious youngsters. The fact that the robot was holding a small bucket filled with candy such as lollipops and Airheads likely made the robot more appealing.

Rock Valley College Police Chief Joe Drought manned an active-shooter booth inside the college’s Physical Education Center. Similar to the way it is important for police to have a good relationship with residents, Drought said the same is true for his officers to have such a relationship with the college’s students, faculty and staff and surrounding police agencies.

“If our worst nightmare (an active shooter) were to happen, I want everybody here,” he said of area law enforcement. “And they would be. We’re very blessed to be able to work with all the agencies.”

National Night Out debuted Aug. 7, 1984. That first year, 2.5 million Americans took part across 400 communities in 23 states.

NNO now involves more than 37.8 million people in 16,124 communities from all 50 states, U.S. Territories, Canadian cities, and military bases worldwide.